Jean Grey and the Seven Little X-Men
by Daniel Fielder
Summary: To escape her jealous step-mother, Princess Jean finds shelter in the home of seven orphans.
1. I'm Wishing

I was inspired to do this by Jsrashad's Snow White and the Seven Peanuts project.

Disclaimer: Snow White belongs to Disney, and X-Men, and any other Marvel characters I use, belong to Fox, Disney, Marvel and their respective creators.

* * *

 **Jean Grey and the Seven Little X-Men**

Chapter 1: I'm Wishing

Once upon a time, the queen of a humble but prosperous kingdom was knitting by the window. She was knitting an outfit for her expected child.

"I cannot wait to tend to a baby." The queen said.

As the queen continued to knit, she pricked her finger, and a drop of red blood fell on a small white banister she was sitting near with emeralds encrusted in it. She liked how it looked together.

"How lovely my child would be if she had skin as perfectly colored as this banister, with blood-red hair… Like a rose… And eyes like emeralds."

Shortly after this wish, her daughter was born, but the queen used a good deal too much of her strength to bring the child into the world, so she only had enough strength to see that she was exactly how she dreamed she'd look, and she named her Jean. Shortly afterwards, the king died as well, and Jean was raised by her father's second wife, the new queen, Emma Frost.

Jean was lovely and full of life and laughter and very in tune with her emotions. Emma, however, feared that one day, Jean's beauty would surpass her own. Because of this, she usually dressed Jean in rags except for very special occasions where she couldn't afford to without appearing weak to her allies. Despite this, Jean still enjoyed life and dreamed of the day she'd find the man she would love.

Every day, Jean went to a magic mirror she'd bought after her husband's death and asked, "Mirror, Mirror on the wall, who is the fairest of all?" And as long as the mirror replied that she was the fairest, Jean would live for another day, safe from her step-mother's jealousy…

()()()()()

Emma walked over to the mirror. It had been ten years since her husband's death when she ascended to the throne, and she enjoyed it immensely. It was time for her daily check to make sure she was still on top of the beauty game. She could tell fifteen years ago when she married Jean's father that the girl could be a threat to her, and she could not afford to let her subjects come to see that happen. They might overthrow her… Or worse, take her off their money!

She arrived at the mirror and raised her hands as she recited the incantation.

"Mesmero, slave of the magic mirror, come from the farthest space." Emma recited as she crossed her arms. "Through wind and darkness, I summon thee. Speak! Let me see thy face."

In a burst of flames, the face of Mesmero appeared. Bald with odd tattoos and brown eyes. The eyes stared blankly at her.

"What wouldst thou know, my queen?" Mesmero asked in his usual monotone voice.

"Mirror, mirror on the wall," Emma recited. "Who is the fairest of them all?"

"Famed is thy beauty, majesty." Mesmero responded as his eyes widened slightly. "But hold… A lovely maid I see. Rags cannot hide her gentle grace. Alas, she is more fair than thee."

"Alas for _her_!" Emma spat out as her eyes narrowed. "What's her name?!"

"Hair red as the rose." Mesmero responded calmly. "Eyes green as emeralds. Skin as fair as snow."

"Jean!" Emma said through her teeth.

()()()()()

Jean was washing the stairs of the palace as she hummed to herself. She was almost done, and she was happy for her good life. True she had to work every day, but it had helped keep her strong, and she knew that when she got married, she'd be able to have a family again. She had missed that part of her life when she had a father _and_ a mother. She had made friends with all the other ambassadors that lived there.

She finished the stairs and sighed contentedly as she picked up the pail and prepared to put it back in the well as several Doves watched her. She put the pail in and looked at them.

"Wanna hear a secret?" Jean asked.

The Doves nodded. Jean had a way with animals. They were her closest friends here.

"Promise not to tell?" Jean asked again, and the doves shook their heads.

" _We are standing by a wishing well._ "

Jean then pointed at the hole in the well.

 _Make a wish into the well,_

 _That's all you have to do._

 _And if you hear it echoing,_

 _Your wish will soon come true._

Jean then put her head near the well.

 _I'm wishing… (I'm wishing…)_

 _For the one I love,_

 _To find me… (To find me…)_

 _Today. (Today.)_

 _I'm hoping… (I'm hoping…)_

 _And I'm dreaming of,_

 _The nice things… (The nice things…)_

 _He'll say. (He'll say.)_

Had Jean known it, that day, a person from a place called America was passing by the palace when he heard Jean singing. His name was Scott Summers, and he had been attending an academic retreat with his friends. Scott thought it was the nicest, sweetest voice he'd ever heard and hopped over the wall to see who it was and saw a girl, the prettiest one he'd ever seen, and her kind nature, which he could easily see on her face in the way her eyes looked in conjunction with her mouth's movements, only made her more beautiful.

Jean continued singing as the well echoed back.

 _Ah-ha-ha-ha-ha. (Ah-ha-ha-ha-ha.)_

 _Ah-ha-ha-ha-ha. (Ah-ha-ha-ha-ha.)_

 _Ah-ha-ha-ha-ha. (Ah-ha-ha-ha-ha.)_

 _Ah-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha!_

 _I'm wishing… (I'm wishing…)_

 _For the one I love,_

 _To find me… (To find me…)_

 _Today._

" _Today!_ " Scott sang out as he appeared next to Jean.

"Oh!" Jean exclaimed as she jumped back. The boy had caught her by surprise.

"Hello." The boy said. "My name is Scott. I didn't frighten you, did I?"

Jean ran off as she didn't want someone she'd just met to see her in her work clothes.

"Wait." Scott called out. "Wait please! Don't run away."

Jean ran into the castle, but Scott called out.

 _Now that I've found you,_

 _Hear what I have to say!_

Jean then walked out against her first instinct and listened.

 _One song, I have but one song._

 _One song, only for you._

Jean swooned and tidied herself up as best as she could.

 _One heart, steadily beating._

 _Constant and true!_

Jean looked down and found herself falling in love with him as he fell in love with her.

 _One love that has possessed me._

 _One love, brimming with truth._

 _One song, my hear keeps singing._

 _Of one love, only for you._

Jean smiled and walked down as she kissed Scott gently on his cheek.

"I'm Jean." Jean said. "I hope I see you again."

"Me too." Scott said. He kissed her hand and went off.

()()()()()

Unknown to either lover, Emma watched from a high up window and scowled. Jean would pay for putting her at number two.

* * *

Well… This idea just came with me, so I went with it. Please tell me what ya think.


	2. With a Smile and a Song

Chapter Two: With a Smile and a Song

Shortly after Jean met Scott, Emma was talking to the American ambassador, Warren Worthington, who had sworn to serve her as part of a pact she made to help the Americans with their cold war with Genosha.

"Take her far into the forests of America." Emma said. "Find a nice secluded place where she can pick wild flowers."

"Yes your majesty." Warren said.

"And there, my faithful friend, you will _kill_ her." Emma said with a mad glint in her eyes.

"But your majesty, the little princess-" Warren argued before Emma stood up, and her eyes glaring at him.

"SILENCE!" Emma ordered. "You know the penalty if you fail."

The penalty would be that Warren's parents and the rest of his family would all be executed, and Warren would be forced to watch.

"Yes… Your majesty…" Warren said in a defeated voice.

"And just to make sure that you don't fail, bring back her heart in this." Emma pulled out a red box with golden trim. The lock was a golden heart with a golden dagger cutting into it.

()()()()()

A few days later, Warren took Jean to America, where he was known as Angel for the wings sprouting out of his back. Jean was walking through a forest on America that she had never been to, and she was excited about all the lovely flowers there. She also hoped that she'd meet Scott there before she had to go back home.

 _One song, I have but one song._

 _One song, only for you._

She hummed the song he sang to her, their song, to herself as she picked as many wild flowers as she could carry, which was quite a lot thanks to her telekinesis. Suddenly, she saw a small blue bird chirping not far off.

"Oh hello there." Jean said as she turned to the baby bird. "What's the matter?"

The bird chirped fearfully, and Jean recognized it as the fears of a lost child.

"Where are your mother and father? Are you lost?" Jean asked, and the bird began to cry. "Oh, please don't cry. Come on, cheer up. Won't you smile for me?"

The bird chirped happily.

"That's better." Jean said encouragingly. "Your mother and father cannot be far away. Oh, there they are. Good-bye little one. Good-bye."

The bird flew off to his parents as Jean smiled.

()()()()()

Warren meanwhile, pulled out his sword and held it loosely as he walked to Jean. Just after Jean helped the bird find his parents, Warren raised his sword as Jean turned around and screamed. She prepared to defend herself as best she could against the sword, but she knew it was no use when Warren dropped his sword.

"I can't." Warren said. "I can't do it. Forgive me, your highness. I beg you."

Warren fell to his knees and bowed his head.

"I don't understand." Jean said in a confused voice.

"She's mad." Warren said. "Jealous of you! She'll stop at nothing!"

"Who?" Jean asked.

"The queen!" Warren said.

"The queen?" Jean said. Her eyes filled with tears. How could her step-mother do such a terrible thing?

"Run for it, child!" Warren said. "Run! Go away and hide in the woods! Anywhere, just never come back! Go!" Jean still stood there nervously. "GO!"

Jean flew off low into the forest as Warren picked up his sword and walked to a nearby wild boar. He'd give the queen something alright.

()()()()()

Jean ran into the woods, and in her panicked state, every tree seemed to have eyes, and their branches were clawed hands trying to reach out and grab her! She eventually fell down into a pond, and when she got up, she saw two logs that seemed to be alligators and ran out where she was surrounded by frightening trees that starred at her darkly before she screamed and fell crying.

()()()()()

As she cried, she realized something, no one was attacking her. She looked up to find that it was still daylight, and the eyes were simply the animals of the forest. She recognized the squirrels, the dear, and the birds. When a rabbit came up to her, she startled at the creature rubbing its nose next to her face, and they scattered.

"Oh, don't go away." Jean said as she felt her confidence return. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to frighten you. I was just surprised. I was very frightened, and all because I was being afraid of things that weren't really scary. I'm so ashamed over the fuss that I've made. What do you do when things go wrong?"

The birds tweeted.

"Ooh!" Jean said happily. "You sing a song!"

The birds chirped a yes.

" _Ah-ha-ha, ha, ha._ " Jean sang, and the baby bird she'd helped before sang along.

 _Ah-ha-ha, ha, ha._

 _Ahhh… Ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha, ha._

The bird tried to follow along again, but he failed to hit Jean's high notes, but Jean just chuckled happily.

 _With a smile and a song,_

 _Life is just like a bright sunny day._

 _Your cares fade away._

 _And your heart is young._

 _With a smile and a song,_

 _All the world seems to waken anew,_

 _Rejoices with you._

 _As the sung is sung._

More animals came out to listen to Jean's singing. A chipmunk came up and rested on Jean's lap.

 _There's no use in grumbling_

 _When raindrops come tumbling._

 _Remember, you're the one_

 _Who can fill the world with sunshine._

She then petted a faun that had come up, and the rabbit who had come up to her before laid his head down on her legs.

 _When you smile and you sing,_

 _Everything is in tune and it's spring_

 _And life flows along,_

 _With a smile and a song._

The animals then all cheered, and Jean felt that maybe things would not be so bad for her now.

* * *

That was fun.


	3. Whistle While You Work

Chapter Three: Whistle While You Work

"I really feel quite happy now." Jean said with a smile. "I'm sure I'll get along somehow. Everything's going to be alright… But I do need a place to sleep at night."

She petted the bunny by her leg.

"I can't sleep in the ground like you." Jean said. She then looked at the squirrels. "Or in a tree like you do, and I'm sure I'd never fit in a bird's nest." Then she got a brilliant idea! "Maybe you know where I could stay in these woods!"

The birds and other animals all made their respective ways of saying yes.

"You do?!" Jean said with a smile. She wasn't sure if that would really work. "Will you take me there?"

The birds and dear then led Jean to a small cabin. When she saw the cabin, she noticed that it looked quite modest.

"Oh it's adorable!" Jean said in delight. "It looks just like a dollhouse!"

Jean then walked up to the house.

"I like it here." Jean then looked into the window, but she couldn't make out anything inside. "It's dark in there."

Jean then knocked. Nothing happened. Maybe no one heard her. She knocked again, but it had the same result.

"Well, I guess I should try the handle." Jean suggested.

She went in with the animals.

"Hello?" She called out. No one answered. "I guess no one's home."

Jean walked around and figured that she could just stay and wait for the people to come home. She noticed several toys on the ground and thought, _Maybe I could be their nanny and take care of their child… Or children._

Jean then called out with delight as she saw a small chair. She looked down at it as the animals came in too.

"What a cute little chair!" Jean said. She then noticed that there were several more. "Wait a moment, there are seven little chairs. There must be seven little children here." She then looked at a very messy table with cups, plates, and all manner of left over garbage on the table. "And from the look of the table seven untidy little children."

She walked over and saw what was on there.

"Toys at the table." Jean said as she picked up a very poorly carved wolf sculpture. She then saw a sock. "A sock too?!" Jean then opened a pot and took out, "A shoe?"

Jean whistled with the birds. She then walked to the fire place.

"Covered in dust, of course." Jean blew, and several chipmunks sneezed. "And cobwebs everywhere. A pile of dirty dishes in the sink, and just look at that broom!"

The broom laid there as if it hadn't ever been used.

"I doubt they've ever swept this room." Jean said. "You'd think their mother would-" Then she stopped as she realized something. "Maybe they have no mother. Then they'd be orphans. Oh, those poor little children. Maybe we should clean the house, and surprise them when they come back from… Whatever they're doing… Then maybe they will let me stay."

Jean then looked around, and her new friends did as well.

"Alright, squirrels, you wash the dishes." Jean said. "And rabbits, tidy up the room. Deer, clean the fireplace, and I'll use the broom."

The birds then whistled to commence the large project Jean had suggested.

 _Just whistle while you work._

 _And cheerfully together we can tidy up this place._

 _So hum a merry tune._

 _It won't take long when there's a song to help us set the pace._

The singing actually did keep everyone lively enough to keep on track. Jean was easily sweeping the room and using a step ladder to deal with the cobwebs. The squirrels used rags and their own tails to wash the dishes, and the dear used their tails to dust the fireplace, and the stags used their antlers to help the smaller animals make Jean's job easier by dusting the walls and everywhere they could reach.

 _And as you sweep the room_

 _Imagine that the broom is someone that you love_

 _And soon you'll find you're dancing to the tune._

"Oh, no, no." Jean said as one of the fauns was trying to clean a plate by licking it. "Those go in the tub."

Jean then handed a plate to the squirrel, and he put it there.

"Why don't you help your parents?" Jean asked.

The dear smiled and cleaned the fire place with his mother.

As a rabbit was pushing dirt under the rug, Jean caught them.

"Nah-uh." Jean said kindly but firmly. "Pushing dirt under a rug isn't cleaning."

The rabbits then moved the rub and pushed the dirt out of the house.

"Yes, that's much better." Jean said with a smile as she scratched behind the rabbit's ear.

Jean and a few of the squirrels then got to work cleaning a large organ. She figured she could learn to play it for the children. The birds then brought in flowers to liven up the room and used a pouch they'd brought to water the flowers.

With the house cleaned up, everyone then helped put away the clothes and the toys. As the toys were put away, the stag helped Jean take the clothes she couldn't carry, which wasn't very much, and she and several raccoons began washing the clothes, and Jean hung them to dry. She noticed that they were very odd clothes. One shirt was gray with a black bat on it. There was a long red cloth that Starfire figured must be for drying the children off. She shrugged and guessed that they had a range of different tastes in clothing.

 _So whistle while you work._

After finishing cleaning, Jean relaxed by the wall and found a book entitled, _The Magician's Nephew_ by CS Lewis.

* * *

Is there anything Disney animals can't do?


	4. Heigh-Ho

Chapter 4: Heigh-Ho

In a cave deep in the mountains, seven children were working to get some precious stones to be able to survive in the world. Originally, they were part of the X-Men, literally, they were parts of the members, but after Mr. Sinister made clones of them, they escaped and hid in the forest, hoping Sinister never found them.

The leaders were child forms of Logan, Bobby Drake, Ororo Monroe, and Hank McCoy. They were physically ten but held the same memories as their adult counterparts far away in the city of Metropolis. Right under them was a nine-year-old version of the hero known as Kitty Pryde and an eight-year-old version of the hero Rogue. At the bottom of the chain of command was a seven-year-old version of Kurt Wagner. They still wore the same outfits their adult selves wore, but they were obviously smaller and slimmer. To make things go by quicker, and to stop Kurt from complaining, they sang a work song, which only Batboy objected to.

 _We dig-dig-dig-dig-dig-dig-dig_

 _In our mine the whole day through._

 _To dig-dig-dig-dig-dig-dig-dig_

 _Is what we have to do._

" _It's not a trick._ " Ororo said as she used lightning to easily cut through the walls. " _You get rich quick._ "

" _If you dig-dig-dig with a shovel or a pick._ " Logan said as he dug out a diamond the size of Albert Einstein's brain.

" _In a mine._ " Kitty said as his echo repeated, " _In a mine._ "

" _In a mine!_ " Ororo repeated as she liked the way the echo sounded. " _In a mine!_ "

 _Where a million diamonds…_

 _Shine!_

As they blinked in wonder, Rogue was driving a cart as she was reading a book called _The Once and Future King_.

 _We dig-dig-dig-dig-dig-dig-dig_

 _From morning until night._

Rogue saw a fly buzzing around and smashed him.

 _We dig-dig-dig-dig-dig-dig-dig_

 _Up everything in sight._

Rogue then dropped the diamonds in front of Hank, who checked to see how good the diamonds were. If they weren't good, he'd toss them on the floor.

 _We dig up diamonds by the score._

 _Diamonds rubies sometimes more._

 _And we're not sure what we dig them for._

 _We dig-dig-diggity-dig._

Kurt's job was to sweep up the rejects and throw them in a landfill. As he watched Hank observe a very large diamond, he picked up two of them. A few minutes later, he tugged on Hank's sleeve, and he turned around to see Kurt with the diamonds in his eyes. Hank then knocked the diamonds out with a slight thump on the head.

Hank then looked at the clock to see that it was already five in the afternoon.

" _Heigh-ho!_ " Hank called as a way to sound the end of the day.

" _Heigh-ho!_ " Everyone called back to show they heard. They then headed back home.

 _Heigh-ho! Heigh-ho! Heigh-ho!_

They then walked off with about three diamonds each to tide them over for a while.

 _Heigh-ho. Heigh-ho._

 _It's home from work we go._

The rest of the diamonds were then put into a safe as Hank put the key in his pocket to keep safe until the next day.

 _Heigh-ho. Heigh-ho._

 _Heigh-ho. Heigh-ho._

 _Heigh-ho. Heigh-ho._

 _It's home from work we go._

 _Heigh-ho. Heigh-ho._

 _Heigh-ho. Heigh-ho._

 _Heigh-ho. Heigh-ho._

 _Heigh-ho, hum._

 _Heigh-ho. Heigh-ho._

 _It's home from work we go._

 _Heigh-ho. Heigh-ho._

 _Heigh-ho,_

 _Heigh-ho. Heigh-ho._

 _It's home from work we go._

 _Heigh-ho. Heigh-ho._

 _Heigh-ho,_

 _Heigh-ho. Heigh-ho._

 _It's home from work we go._

 _Heigh-ho, heigh-ho._

 _Heigh-ho, heigh-ho._

 _Heigh-ho._

Yeah, that's what I'm using for the dwarves. Deal with it.

* * *

No flaming if you don't like it by the way.


	5. Meeting Jean

Chapter 5: Meeting Jean

As night fell, the animals returned to their home except for a few birds and the family of deer.

"Let's see what's upstairs." Jean said, and she went up to find a bedroom with seven beds. "Oh what adorable beds, and they've got their names carved on them." Jean then proceeded to read the names. "'Hank' 'Ororo' 'Bobby' 'Kurt'" Jean giggled good-naturedly. "Some of these names are a little funny. 'Logan', 'Kitty', and 'Rogue'." Jean then yawned. "I better be getting to sleep."

Jean then laid down across Ororo, Bobby, and Kurt's beds as the deer went to sleep on the floor. The birds then put the candle out with their tails and covered Mary Jane up before flying down stairs.

Suddenly, the deer were awakened by the sounds of people coming, and they returned to the forest for fear of being attacked by the cottage's inhabitants.

()()()()()

The group returned home as Hank led the way by using a flashlight.

"Look!" Hank suddenly said as he stopped abruptly and everyone slammed into him. "Our house. The light's lit!"

Everyone then snuck to the side and looked at the house.

"Jiminy Cricket." Kurt said in a low whisper as he looked.

"The door's open." Hank pointed out as light was coming through the doorway.

"Looks like smoke's coming from the chimney." Kitty said.

"Something's in there." Bobby remarked.

"You don't think it's Sinister, do you?" Ororo asked.

"Could be anything." Kitty said.

"Either way, something's up." Logan said. "We better approach it carefully."

"How?" Kurt asked.

"Let's sneak up on it." Ororo said.

"Right." Hank said. "Follow me."

They nervously snuck to the house and went inside. Hank slowly opened the door which appeared to creek louder than it normally did, but they just put that off to nerves. They then tip-toed in as Kurt slammed the door shut.

"SHH!" They all hissed at Kurt.

"SHH!" Kurt hissed at the door.

"We better search every nook and cranny." Hank said.

"Yeah, and ve should search everywhere too." Kurt said, which earned him a slap from Rogue.

"Ouch!" Kurt exclaimed.

"Guys, be quiet." Logan hissed.

As Hank, Ororo, and Rogue checked one area of the house, Hank looked down and gasped.

"Look at the floor!" Hank called out in surprise. "It's been swept!"

"Who on Earth would break into a house to sweep a floor?" Rogue asked incredulously.

Logan rubbed a finger against one of the chairs at the table and looked.

"The chair's been dusted." He observed.

"The windows are all washed." Ororo stated.

"No cobwebs anywhere." Kitty stated.

"The whole place is cleaner than an operating room." Hank said in surprise.

"Someone's definitely been in here." Logan said. "We're lucky if we manage to clean the place once a week, and we never get it this clean. There's dirty work a foot."

"The sink's empty." Bobby said as he looked inside with Rogue. "Guys, someone stole our dishes."

"No they didn't!" Ororo said exasperatedly. "They just cleaned them and put them in the cupboard."

"Yeash, if we end up findin' that Courtney Cox lady from Friends, I'm gonna laugh." Rogue said.

"Hey, they washed my cup!" Kitty groaned as she ran her finger around it. "No more sugar!"

"Good." Rogue said. "The last thing we need is you all hopped up on sugar again."

Ororo and Kurt approached a bubbling pot.

"Something's cooking in there." Ororo said as she sniffed. "And it smells pretty good."

Ororo made to grab a ladle when Logan grabbed her hand and pulled her away.

"Are you stupid?!" Logan asked. "That could be poison!"

As if on cue, the pot hissed.

"AHH!" Kurt exclaimed as he teleported behind Rogue.

"Why do I bother?" Logan said.

Hank then drew everyone's attention to the table.

"Look what happened to the table!" Hank said as Kitty picked up some golden rods that were there.

"Hey cool, flowers." Kitty said. "Look at this Bobby, golden rods."

"Oh no!" Bobby said as his nose began to get stuffed up. "My nose, I've had hay fever for the last few weeks! You know I can't stand it, Kitty! I ca- I coo- I c-"

"HIT THE DECK!" Logan called out. As Kurt, Kitty, and Rogue ducked, Logan, Ororo, and Hank held their fingers to his nose.

"Phew." Logan said. "Thanks guys… AH CHOO!"

The other six were then blown into the wall as they were covered by a thin layer of frost.

"Sweet Heaven!" Ororo exclaimed.

"A very fine time ya picked to sneeze!" Logan whispered angrily at Bobby, his good friend.

"I couldn't help it!" Bobby whispered back. "When you've gotta, you've gotta… Uh-oh. I've gotta again."

"GRAB HIM!" Logan called out. They pounced on Bobby and tied a wash cloth around his nose, which served to muffle his sneeze and stop any more accidental ice blasts.

"Thanks." Bobby said.

"We've gotta keep quiet." Logan said. "We could all end up stuck in Sinister's lab if we're not careful."

They then heard an odd sound from upstairs.

"Whatever's in here is up there." Hank said.

"In the bedrooms." Ororo said.

"Uh-oh." Kurt exclaimed.

"Someone's gotta go up and chase whatever's up there down." Hank said.

They all nodded their heads, and six of them looked at Kurt as he looked behind him before remembering that there were only seven of them.

"Me?" Kurt asked in a squeaky whisper.

Kurt tried to creep off before he was grabbed by Logan and Bobby. They then pulled him in front of Hank as he held up his flashlight and was shaking as bad as Kurt.

"Here." Hank said nervously. "Take it. Don't be nervous."

Hank then mustered his own courage and put the flash light in Kurt's hand and shoved him up the stairs. At the landed outside of the bedrooms, Kurt turned around to look at the others several steps below him.

"Don't be afraid." Hank said. "We're right behind you."

"Yeah." They all said. "Right behind you."

"Mm." Kurt said nervously as he walked up and entered the bed room. In the light of the flash light, Kurt saw something groan sleepily as it stretched underneath several sheets.

"AHHHHH!" Kurt called out and ran down the stairs.

"Here it comes!" Logan said as he got his claws ready before they were all bowled over by something, and they ran straight out of the door. Kurt then tried to follow, but the door wouldn't open.

"It's trying to get out!" Hank screamed!

"Don't let it out!" Logan said calmly.

"Hold it shut!" Ororo added.

This added greatly to Kurt's fears that the creature and woken up. He didn't dare look behind him and tried harder to open the door until the door knob broke off, and Kurt fell into several pots and pans that landed all over him. Now sure that the creature had woken up, he ran for his life right out the door. This was the scariest night of his life!

()()()()()

Outside the cottage, everyone waited in the trees for the creature, whatever it was, to attack. They pounced down on what appeared to be some kind of metal creature and kept attacking until Hank realized something.

"Hold on guys!" Hank shouted. "It's only Kurt."

"Yeah, it's only-D'oh!" Kurt exclaimed as Raven hit him again with her stick. "What was that for?!"

"Scaring me for no good reason." Rogue retorted.

"Did you see it?" Bobby asked.

"Yeah!" Kurt said panting.

"How big is it?" Ororo asked.

"Huge!"

"What was it?" Logan asked.

"A dragon!" Kurt said as the creature was large enough to be.

"Has it got horns?" Bobby asked.

"Yeah!"

"Was it breathing fire?" Hank asked.

"Yeah!" Kurt said.

"Was it drooling?" Kitty asked.

"Yeah!" Kurt said.

"Stop saying yeah and tell us what it was doing!" Rogue shouted.

"It was sleeping." Kurt said.

"A monster's asleep in our beds?!" Hank exclaimed.

"Let's get it while it's sleeping." Logan proposed.

"Good idea." Ororo said.

"Let's go!" Bobby proclaimed and they went off.

They made it back to the bedroom and opened the door to see the thing yawning again, and it was covering Bobby, Ororo, and Kurt's beds.

"Whoa baby!" Bobby exclaimed.

"Heaven above!" Ororo added.

"What a monster." Bobby said.

"No kidding." Kitty replied. "It's covering three beds."

"Let's get it before it wakes up!" Hank whispered.

"Which end do we get?" Ororo asked, but everyone shushed her.

They then surrounded the creature and prepared to fight when Hank lifted the sheet, and they all stopped.

It wasn't a monster. It was a very lovely girl. With red hair, and she was in a tan outfit.

"Oh my stars and garters!" Hank exclaimed.

"Who is it?" Ororo asked.

"It's a girl." Hank said.

"She's really pretty." Bobby said.

"She looks like an angel." Kitty said.

"Angel?" Logan said. "What would someone like her be doing here?"

"Shh!" Hank said. "You'll wake her up."

"Let her wake up then." Logan said. "She's trespassing."

"Hey, she's moving!" Bobby said nervously.

"She's waking up!" Ororo said.

"What do we do?!" Bobby asked.

"Hide!" Hank said, and they ducked down as the girl yawned and got up.

()()()()()

"Oh my…" Jean said with a yawn as she got up. "Just what I needed. I wonder if the children are-"

Jean then looked down and gasped in pleasant surprise as she saw the children.

"Oh you look so cute." Jean said like a babysitter. The children then stood up, and she saw that they were in several outfits. Maybe they were play acting. "How do you do?" Jean asked, but none of them answered. "I said 'How do you do?'"

"How do we do what?" Said a boy dressed in yellow with a black mask covering his eyes and face.

"Oh you can talk!" Jean said excitedly. "I'm so glad!"

"Now don't tell me who you are, let me guess." Jean said. "Now you…" She said as she looked at a boy who had blue fur on him. "You're… Hank."

"Oh, yes." Hank said with a nervous smile.

Jean then looked at a girl with brown hair in pony tails, and it clicked instantly.

"You're Kitty." Jean said.

"Y-yeah." Kitty said as she blushed.

"And you…" Jean said as she looked at a girl with brown hair with a white streak in it, brown eyes, and a green outfit. "You're… Rogue?"

"How'd you guess?" Rogue asked sarcastically.

"The hair." Jean said. She then turned to a boy in a blue jump suit. "And you're Bobby."

"Yeah." Bobby said as he smiled and rubbed the back of his neck.

"And you're…" Jean said as she turned to a girl with long white hair.

"Ororo, ma'am." Ororo said. "And this is Kurt."

"Hi." Kurt said nervously.

"Don't worry, he's shy around strangers." Ororo explained.

"Oh, that is too bad." Jean said as she smiled, and Kurt smiled nervously as well. She then turned to the last boy. He folded his arms moodily.

"Oh…" Jean said deepening her voice to try and get the boy to smile. "You must be Logan."

"She's good at this." Hank said.

"We know who we are." Logan said shortly. "What we don't know is who _you_ are and what _you're_ doing here."

"Oh how silly of me." Jean said as she blushed. "I am Mary Jane."

"Jean?!" Everyone asked. "The princess?!"

"Yeah." Jean said with a smile.

"Well your highness." Hank said respectively. "We're honored hosts. We're… Uh…"

"Mad as hornets!" Logan interrupted.

"Mad as hornets!" Hank said before shaking his head.

"Wait, no we're not." Hank said. "Ah, what was I saying?!"

"Nothing, just sputtering like an idiot as usual!" Logan said.

"Hey who's sputtering like an idiot!" Hank asked angrily.

"That's enough you two." Bobby said as he made a wall of ice in between the two.

"I say we tell her to get out." Logan said.

"Please don't send me away." Jean pleaded. "If you do, she'll kill me."

"Kill you?" Bobby asked.

"Who?" Hank asked.

"My step-mother Queen Emma Frost." Jean stated.

"Emma Frost?!" Everyone asked.

"She's wicked!" Kitty said.

"She's bad!" Ororo agreed.

"She's mean!" Bobby added.

"She's a vain and power-hungry witch." Logan said calmly. "I'm warning all of you. If Frost finds out she's here, she'll tear the whole place apart just because of Jean being here."

"But she doesn't even know where I am." Jean said.

"Oh yeah?" Logan asked. "Well from all the stories I've heard, she has enough black magic to easily figure out where someone is, and it doesn't take magic to make someone invisible. For all we know she's in this room right now."

"Oh my god!" Kurt said before he looked down Ororo's shirt to look for Emma, and Ororo punched him in the face.

"Oh she would never find me here." Jean said cheerfully. "And if you let me stay, I will do the cleaning and keeping of the house for you. I can wash, sow, sweep, cook-"

"COOK?!" Everyone said at the same time as they were tired of Logan and Bobby buying them cereal from some town.

"Can you make apple dumplings?" Hank asked.

"Yes." Jean said. "And plum pudding, and goose berry pie-"

"GOOSE BERRY PIE?!" Everyone called out. "Hooray! She stays!"

Logan rubbed his temples. He didn't think any good would come out of this.

* * *

Well Logan's trusting, isn't he?


	6. Washing Up Before Supper

Chapter 6: Washing Up Before Supper

All the talk about cooking reminded Jean about the pot she'd put on the stove. She flew down and opened it up as she took a sip of what she was making.

The seven children then walked out and sniffed.

"SOUP!" They called out and rushed down. They then sat down and fought over the bread, except Kurt, who was fighting to try and get a seat.

"Uh-uh-uh." Jean said, before anyone could have a bite. "Wait a moment. Supper's not quite ready yet, so you'll have just enough time to wash."

"Wash?" Everyone asked. They'd only washed about once a week as that seemed enough.

"I knew there was a catch." Logan muttered.

"Why do we gotta wash?" Kitty asked the gang in low voices, so Jean wouldn't hear.

"We're not going anywhere." Ororo said.

"It's not New Year or Christmas." Hank agreed.

"Oh, have you washed already?" Jean asked.

"Uh… Yes." Hank said.

"Okay, when?" Jean asked with her hands on her hips.

"When?" Hank asked. "When? Um… Last week, no month, no I mean… Recently."

"Yes." They all said. "Recently."

"Oh, recently." Jean said with a coy smile. "Then let me see your hands."

They all gulped and held their hands behind their backs.

"Let me see your hands." Jean said firmly as if she was their mother.

Hank sighed and held out his fairly dirty hands.

"Why Hank." Jean said. "I'm surprised at you."

"Ah… Well…" Hank said nervously.

"Come on, let's see them." Jean said, and Kitty showed fairly dirty hands.

"Oh Kitty." Jean asked. "And you, Bobby?"

Bobby then showed his hands to be among the dirtiest ones so far.

"Tch, tch, tch." Jean said.

Before she got to her, Ororo rubbed her hands against her legs and showed them to her, sure that it would work.

"It's worse than I thought." Jean said as she looked at Ororo's _extra_ dirty hands.

Kurt eagerly took off his gloves to show her, and they were, maybe the cleanest, but still very dirty.

Rogue then showed her hands, and for someone who spent most of their day holding a book, it was hard to believe how dirty they'd gotten.

"How shocking!" Jean exclaimed before Rogue looked down and hid her hands behind her back. "This'll never do. Now you kids go straight outside and wash, or you will not get a bite to eat."

"Let's go." Hank said dejectedly.

Everyone except Logan left, with Kurt slamming into wall because he was looking more at Jean.

"Well," Jean asked. "Aren't you going to wash?"

Logan just turned his head away. Who did she think she was, his mother? She was only a few years older than him.

"What's the matter, cat got your tongue?" Jean asked with a smile, and Logan just walked out to get away from her for a few minutes.

He then ended up slamming his face into a door.

"Oh, did you hurt yourself?" Jean asked, but Logan just kept walking until he was out of the house. "Women!" He muttered.

()()()()()

"Okay guys, courage." Hank said. "Don't be nervous."

"Are we really gonna do this?" Kitty asked.

"Well, it'll please Jean." Hank said.

"I'm sure she has our best interests at heart." Ororo said.

"Me too." Everyone else agreed.

"I'm telling you guys," Logan said. "Give that girl an inch, and she'll walk all over you."

"Ah, don't listen to that sour puss." Hank said dismissively. "Come on, guys."

"How hard should we scrub?" Bobby asked.

"Will our fingers shrink?" Rogue asked with a yawn.

"Should we get in the tub?" Kurt asked.

"Should we wash where it doesn't show?" Kitty asked.

"Now don't get excited, here we go." Hank explained.

 _Step up to the tub._

 _It's not a disgrace._

 _Just pull up your sleeves,_

 _And get 'em in place._

 _Then scoop up the water,_

 _And rub it on your face,_

 _And go, blurb, blurb, blurb!_

Hank went first to demonstrate, and everyone else did as he did.

 _Pick up the soap,_

 _Now don't try to bluff._

 _Work up a lather,_

 _And when you get enough,_

 _Get a handful of water._

 _You snout and you snout,_

 _And so, blurb, blurb, blurb._

 _Get doused and soused._

 _Rub and scrub._

 _Splutter and splash all over the tub._

 _You may be cold and wet when you're done,_

 _But you've gotta admit, it's gonna be fun._

A fly came around Rogue and she tricked it into going onto the soap where it ended up looking like Santa clause because of the suds.

 _So splash with all your might._

 _It's not any trick._

 _As soon as you're through,_

 _You'll feel mighty slick._

" _You bunch of nanny goats make me sick going, blurb, blurb, blurb!"_ Logan stated.

They then washed up their hair after washing their hands and faces as they figured they should do it right, but they'd save a proper bath for tomorrow evening.

"Next thing you know, she'll be having us dress up in sailor outfits or pink dresses, as the case may be, and squirt us all with that perfume stuff." Logan said.

"I don't wanna wear pink." Rogue said.

"Oh don't listen to Logan." Ororo said. "He's just being a big grump."

Beast Boy then spit out all the water he'd accidentally swallowed.

"A nice group of water-lilies you guys turned out to be." Logan said with a smirk as Hank looked up. "I'd like to see anybody make me wash if I didn't wanna."

Hank then smiled mischievously as he whispered to the others. They all smiled and walked up to Logan as they whistled.

"GET HIM!" Hank shouted out, and they all held Logan up as Bobby, Ororo, Bobby and Hank held his limbs, so he couldn't get away.

"Hey let me go!" Logan called out.

"Kurt, set the soap." Hank said.

"Okay!" Kurt said as he ran off. He grabbed the soap and was about to bring it when it slipped out of his hand, and he tried to catch it before it knocked him in the head. He then tried to pounce on it, but it just slipped and went into his mouth. "Ah man!" Kurt called out. "And I didn't even say anything bad!"

He then hiccupped as several soap bubbles popped up.

Meanwhile, everyone else was giving Logan a nice hands and face washing, taking off his mask to do it.

 _Now scrub good and hard._

 _It can't be denied,_

 _That he'll look might cool,_

 _As soon as he's dried._

 _With a scrap and a howl,_

 _And a blurb, blurb, blurb!_

Logan was then let out as everyone laughed.

"He smells like a petunia." Bobby said with a laugh that was shared with everyone else.

"You sure look cute, Logan!" Ororo teased as she put his mask back on.

"Oh, you're all gonna pay for this!" Logan shouted.

"Supper!" Jean called out from the house.

"Supper!" They all called out and ran off, leaving Logan woozy by the tub.

"Eh." Logan said after a while and walked in.

()()()()()

Emma walked back to the mirror that very night as Warren gave her the box with her heart in it.

"Oh mirror, mirror, on the wall, who _now_ is the fairest one of all?" Emma asked with a smug smile.

"Far off on the American continent, beyond the Seventh Fall, in the cottage of the young Mutants dwells Jean Grey. The fairest one of all." Mesmero said.

"Jean's dead in a forest." Emma said with a smirk. "Warren Worthington had brought me prove." Emma opened the box and showed it to the mirror. "Behold, her heart."

"Jean still lives, the fairest in the land." Mesmero insisted. "It's the heart of a pig you hold in your hands."

"The heart of a pig?!" Emma shouted as she threw the box down. "That hawk tricked me!"

Emma then walked down a secret flight of stairs to her lab as her servant from America, Donald Pierce waited.

"Whoa, who spit in your caviar?" Pierce asked.

"Shut up!" Emma said. "That sentimental fool gave me the heart of a pig instead of Jean's! Looks like if I want someone killed around here, I'll have to do it myself! I'll go to the brats' cottage in such a perfect disguise that no one will ever suspect it's me."

"How perfect?" Pierce asked.

"A potion." Emma said as she took a book labeled _Disguises_. "A potion to turn my beauty into a grimace. To change my queenly array into a peddler's cloak."

Emma found a perfect little recipe. It also had a 72 hour limit, which would give her time to make a perfect way to kill Jean, and she'd just turn back to her beautiful self afterwards.

"Mummy dust, to make me old." Emma said as she grabbed said dust from a drawer. "To shroud my clothes, the black of night."

Emma put in the mummy dust and added a pitch black liquid that easily became the dominant color.

"To age my voice, an old hag's cackle." Emma said as she turned on a burner underneath a phial that held a red liquid. After it had been turned on, a bit of the red liquid shot up and laughed like an old crone and entered the goblet Emma had put the potion into. This turned the potion red.

"To whiten my hair, a scream of fright!" Emma turned the knob on a faucet, and a white substance poured out as a scream echoed throughout the chamber, and the potion was now a venomous green.

"A blast of wind to fan my age!" As Emma held the goblet to the window and wind suddenly blew through it, and over the goblet. "And a thunderbolt to mix it well!"

As if on cue, a thunderbolt sounded as the potion rippled and bubbled.

"Now…" Emma said calmly. "Begin thy magic spell."

Emma then consumed the concoction and gasped. The room appeared to be spinning, she saw her hair flying around her face and glimpsed it turning white as salt.

"My hands!" Emma called out as she looked at her hands and saw them become incredibly thin and claw-like. Her clothes also turned into a black musty cloak, and her very skin turned incredibly pale.

Emma sighed, hoping for the seventy-two hours to pass quickly and heard her own sigh.

"My voice." She croaked. Her voice had become high and raspy. "My voice…"

Emma laughed. The potion had worked. She looked into a mirror and saw an old hag with bulging green eyes and a long hook nose with a large wart on it.

"Yes!" Emma called out. "A perfect disguise!"

Emma turned to Pierce who backed into a wall.

"WHOA BABY!" Pierce called out.

"And now…" Emma said as she pulled out a book on death potions. "A special sort of death for one so fair."

"AH!" She called out very soon. "A poisoned apple. Laced with the draught of the sleeping death."

"Huh?" Pierce asked.

"'One taste of the poisoned apple, and the victim's eyes will close forever in the sleeping death…'" Emma said as she looked up and smirked wickedly. The Wicked Witch of the West had nothing on her.


	7. Someday My Prince Will Come

Chapter Seven: Someday My Prince Will Come

That night, after dinner, which even Logan had to admit was delicious, the kids showed Jean what they did after coming home from mines, have fun. They each played an instrument they did best with and simply sung nonsense, with Logan playing the organ that Jean saw earlier.

Ororo then walked up and smiled.

" _I like to dance and tap my feat, but they won't keep in rhythm_." She sang. " _You see I washed them both today, and can't do a thing with them._ "

Everyone then chuckled at the choke and sang out,

 _Oh hum,da-doo-lee-dum!_

 _The words don't mean a thing!_

 _Isn't this a silly song for anyone to sing?_

Kurt then used several pots and pans as drums and did a nice trick where he pounded on the drums before hitting a cymbal with his tail. Kitty then stood up.

"I…" She began. "Uh…"

Logan then blew a loud note, and that snapped Kitty to the alert.

" _I chased a pole cat up a tree._ " Kitty said. " _Way out upon a limb, and when he got the best of me, I got the worst of him._ "

 _Oh hum, da-doo-lee-dum!_

 _The words don't mean a thing!_

 _Isn't this a silly song for anyone to sing?_

As the music continued, Rogue was pestered by that fly again.

"Hey, go away!" She said.

The fly then bothered Kurt who ended up quickening the beat in his effort to get the fly. He only ended up panting as the fly landed on Rogue's nose. She then made to swat it as Kurt gave her a cymbal, but she only succeeded in giving herself a big headache.

"Why you…" Rogue said angrily, and Kurt ended up with a very bad wedgie.

Jean then danced with each of the kids, except Logan in turn.

Kurt then got on top of Bobby with a long cloak.

"Hey watch it!" Bobby said. "Don't tickle my nose!"

Kurt made sure to keep his feat still as he put the cloak over the two, with Kurt as the arms and head and Bobby as the legs. They then walked up to Jean, and she danced around a little, with Kurt only nearly falling off once before he was pulled back up by Bobby.

The dance went on and everyone had a great time until they heard a sneeze building up from underneath Kurt's feat.

"Uh-oh." Kurt said.

"Duck and cover!" Logan called out, and everyone hid behind the organ.

"Mommy." Kurt squeaked as Bobby sneezed, and Kurt flew up into the ceiling and teleported back down.

Everyone laughed, and Jean sat down.

"That was fun." Jean said with a smile.

"Now it's your turn to do something." Ororo said.

"What should I do?" Jean asked.

"Tell us a story." Rogue said.

"Yes, tell us a story!" The others called out.

"A true story!" Kitty said.

"A love story!" Ororo said as she looked at Logan, who didn't return the gaze, but everyone saw a pink tinge in what they could see of his face.

"Well…" Jean said before she remembered the day she met Peter. "Once there was a princess."

"Was the princess you?" Hank asked.

"And she fell in love." Jean said with a nod.

"Was it hard to do?" Bobby asked.

"It was very easy." Jean said with a laugh. "Anyone could see that the prince was charming. The only one for me."

"Was he strong and handsome?" Hank asked puffing out his chest.

"Was he big and tall?" Bobby asked as he flew up.

"There's nobody like him anywhere at all." Jean said dreamily.

"Did he say he loved you?" Kitty asked.

"Did he steal a kiss?" Ororo asked.

" _He was so romantic, I could not resist._ " Jean sang out.

Everyone except Logan then sat down as Logan leaned against a corner.

 _Someday, my prince will come._

 _Someday, we'll meet again._

 _And away to his castle we'll go,_

 _To be happy forever, I know._

"Hmph." Logan muttered. "Mush."

Ororo then managed to pull herself away from the story and pulled Logan over to Jean, with Logan blushing even more.

 _Someday when spring is here,_

 _We'll find our love anew._

Rogue was beginning to fall to sleep, just as if she was listening to a lullaby, even though she tried to resist it.

 _And the birds will sing,_

 _And wedding bells will ring,_

 _Someday when my dreams come true…_

Everyone then sighed as a clock began to chime eleven.

"Oh look at the time." Jean said. "It must be way past all of our bedtimes."

"But I'm not sleepy…" Rogue said as she yawned.

"Oh yes you are." Jean said as she picked Rogue up.

"No I'm not." Rogue said as she made another yawn.

"Now, all of you, go to your room." Jean said kindly.

"Wait a second." Hank said. "We can pretty much sleep anywhere. The princess will sleep in our room tonight."

"But where will you sleep?" Jean asked.

"Oh, we'll be fine down here." Hank said.

"In a pig's eye." Logan muttered.

"Hey, stop that!" Hank said. "Don't worry. We'll be comfortable down here. Won't we, guys?"

"Oh yeah." They all said as Kurt grabbed a pillow and prepared to go to sleep on a bench.

"Don't worry about us." Ororo said. "We'll be alright."

"Go right on up." Hank said.

"Well…" Jean said. "If you insist. Good night."

"Good night princess." The children said.

"Are you sure you'll be comfortable?" Jean.

"We'll be fine." Bobby said.

"Well, have pleasant dreams then." Jean said as she went inside.

Once Jean closed the door, they all headed for the pillow.

Unfortunately, it ended up ripping because everyone had dived at it. Kurt shrugged and curled up like a dog as he went back to sleep on the bench.

()()()()()

In the children's room, Jean was saying her evening prayers.

"Bless Warren Worthington for saving my life, and please help my step-mother overcome her anger." Jean prayed. "Bless the seven little children who have been so kind to me, and may all my dreams come true. Also, please help Logan find it in his heart to like me. Amen."

Jean then went to sleep on the same three beds she had taken her nap in.

()()()()()

"Women!" Logan said as he tried to get himself comfortable in the pot that Jean's soup had been before he felt something poking in his back and pulled out the ladle. "This has been a fine kettle of fish."

He tossed the ladle onto the floor and began to go to sleep.

Kitty was sleeping near a drawer. Ororo was sleeping on top of the drawer. Hank was sleeping in the sink, getting a small drop of water in his mouth too. Bobby was sleeping on top of Kurt, but he woke up when Kurt was whimpering like a dog before Bobby poked him in the leg, and he went back to sleeping peacefully.

Logan went back to sleep as he was used to their snores by now, but the only thing he wasn't used to was someone whimpering, and Rogue did just that. She was fretting like a toddler as she squirmed in bed. Logan easily knew what had happened. Rogue's stuffed rabbit, Bunny, was upstairs in the bed room. Normally, if Rogue didn't have Bunny, Logan or Ororo would go and get it for her, but Ororo was out like a light, and Logan didn't feel like looking for a stuffed rabbit up in the bed room with Jean there, so he just got out of the pot, walked up to Kurt and slipped a pillow under Bobby's head. Logan then picked Kurt up and put him in Rogue's arms, as they both slept contentedly while Rogue petted Kurt.

Finally with some variation of peace and quiet by now, Logan hopped back into the pot and fell asleep.

()()()()()

Meanwhile, the old hag that would be Emma for the next few days dipped an apple into a potion she had spent several hours making.

"Dip the apple in the brew." Emma chanted. "Let the sleeping death seep through."

She then picked the apple up, and it had turned black with the green potion clinging to it dripped away until it made a skull image.

"Yes!" Emma said wickedly. "Under skin, a symbol of what lies within. Now turn red to tempt Jean and make her hunger with such pangs."

Emma then smirked and looked at the now beautifully red apple in her hand, sort of an opposite of her. Something ugly disguised as something delicious.

Emma chuckled and got a mischievous look on her artificially aged face.

"Have a bit, sweetie!" Emma said as she shoved the apple into Pierce's face.

"BWAH!" Pierce said as he backed away.

"Oh, you know it's not for you." Emma said as she tickled Pierce's chin with her claw like finger. "It's for Jean. When she breaks the tender skin to taste this apple, her breast will still, her blood congeal, and I'll be the fairest in the land!"

"As soon as that disguise wears off." Pierce said before Emma starred him down.

"Wait a minute." Emma said as a sudden thought crossed her mind. "There may be an antidote. Nothing can be over-looked!"

Emma looked at her book again and found what she was looking for.

"Here it is!" Emma said. "'The victim of the sleeping death can be revived only by love's first kiss.' 'Love's first kiss'? Emma said with a sneer before closing the book. "No fear of that. Those brats will think she's just dead. She'll end up buried alive!"

She then walked down a secret stairway.

"Sweet Heaven, what's that girl's problem?!" Pierce asked as the door closed.

()()()()()

Emma then made her way to a secret ship as she looked at a long dead captive of the dungeon that appeared to be reaching for water.

"Thirsty?" Emma asked the skeleton that was left of the prisoner. "Have a drink!"

Emma then kicked the jug, and the skeleton smashed to pieces. She then got onto the ship and rested as she thought about what she would do once Jean was out of the way. Maybe she'd seduce that little beau Jean met just to spite her soon to be buried alive step-daughter.

In a few days, Emma landed on Earth and saw the ruined husk of the boar Warren Worthington had killed to trick Emma. She'd deal with Warren and his family after this. She only had about five hours left before the disguise wore off, and she knew Jean would never _accept_ an apple from _her_.

* * *

Aw… Logan has a heart.

Logan: Shut up!


	8. The Wishing Apple

Chapter Eight: The Wishing Apple

A few days later, the kids left to dig up more diamonds. The last couple of days had been very nice and peaceful. Logan had consented to teaching Jean how to play the organ, Bobby had finally managed to get over his hay fever and regain control over his ice breath, Rogue had become much more open to Jean, and Ororo kept making googily eyes at Logan every night and referring to him.

Today, they all prepared to leave as they needed some more diamonds for money.

"Now don't forget Jean," Hank had said. "Emma Frost's sly and full of witchcraft, so beware of strangers."

"Don't worry." Jean said with a smile. "I'll be alright."

Jean then kissed Hank on the head.

"See you tonight, and remember to wash up before dinner." Jean said.

"Uh… Yes…" Hank gasped with a nervous smile. "Come on, guys."

"I hope you'll be really careful." Kitty said. "Why if anything happened-"

Jean then kissed her on the head, and she blushed so much, she looked like a tomato with pig tails.

"Good-bye." Jean said cheerfully.

"Ah, gee!" Kitty said as he walked off.

"That is disgusting." Logan muttered from the back of the line.

"And be sure to watch out." Bobby said as he left, and Jean kissed him. "Thanks."

Kurt later came up and tugged on Jean's skirt as he puckered up. Jean smiled kindly, gently bent Kurt's head down, and kissed him. He then left and came back just a few moments later.

"Oh alright." Jean said with a chuckle as she kissed him on the head. "But that's the last-"

Kurt then ran off like a cheetah and came back.

"Oh, run along." Jean said with a chuckle, and Kurt went off.

"Bye." Rogue said as she was holding _The Magician's Nephew_ in her hand. "Now remember, you promised we could talk about this book when we get home."

"Yes, I remember." Jean said before kissing Rogue on the cheek and she walked off.

Logan took his mask off and put up some stray bangs before putting his mask back on.

Ororo then received a kiss on the cheek and walked off as she helped Rogue along.

 _Heigh-ho. Heigh-ho._

 _It's off to work we go._

Logan then coughed to let Jean know he was there.

"Now I'm warning you." Logan said as he removed his mask. "Don't let anyone or _anything_ in this house unless you know 'em like the back of your hand."

"Why Logan," Jean said with a smile. "You do care."

Jean then kissed Logan on the forehead, and he put his mask back on and walked off before he stopped and smiled a little. It was like something he could barely recall concerning someone who looked a lot like Jean. He shook his head and walked off.

()()()()()

Emma Frost walked slowly to the cottage as she chuckled to herself. Only an hour left, and Jean was an easy five minutes' walk away.

"Those little brats won't be at home." Emma chuckled evilly. "And she'll be on her own. With a harmless old peddler woman." She chuckled again. "A _harmless_ old peasant woman."

()()()()()

Jean decided to use this time to make some goose-berry pies for the children as a surprise and began making the last one after putting the other six on the table.

 _Someday my prince will come._

 _Someday we'll meet again._

 _And away to his castle we'll go._

 _To be happy forever I know._

She then placed the top of the pie on the last one and cut off the excess with a small knife. After that, she put the crust she cut off and put it on top of the pie, so that it spelled, "Logan".

 _Someday, when Spring is near,_

 _We'll find our love anew,_

 _And the birds will sing,_

 _And wedding bells will ring._

 _Someday, when my dreams come true…_

Jean then looked up and gasped as she saw an old woman with a long hooked nose, greasy white hair, and bulging green eyes. Out of her black cloak, Jean saw two hands that were so skinny that they looked more like claws.

"All alone my dear?" The old woman asked in a high raspy voice that seemed slightly familiar to Jean.

"Uh…" Jean said nervously. "Well yes I am."

"What?" The woman said in surprise. "But you're only a girl, you can't be older than sixteen. Aren't either of your parents or any little brothers or sisters around?"

"Well, my parents died when I was still a little girl." Jean said. "But the children are away for a little while."

"Hmm…" The old woman said. "Making pies?"

"Yes, goose-berry." Jean said. "They're the children's favorite."

"Then they haven't tried apple pies." Emma Frost said with a smile. "They can make any little child's mouth water. Made from nice apples, like these."

The old woman picked up an apple that was so beautifully red that Jean couldn't help staring at it.

"They look delicious." Jean said.

"Yes, but wait until you taste it." The old woman said sweetly. "Would you like to try one? Go on… Go on and have a bite."

Before Jean could grab the apple, the birds began attacking the poor old woman.

"Hey, you leave her alone!" Jean said as she threw a small star bolt into the air to frighten them off. "You should be ashamed of yourselves for attacking a poor old helpless lady like that!"

The woman made sure the apple was still alright, and Jean put her arms on her shoulders.

"Are you alright?" Jean asked.

"Oh, my heart!" The woman said as she clutched her chest. "My poor heart. Get me into the house and give me a drink of water."

"Oh, of course." Jean said as she helped the old woman inside.

()()()()()

The animals looked into the window and saw Jean go off to get the old hag some water. They could tell that something wasn't quite right about her, and they saw her look at the apple and then at Jean, and they knew something terrible would happen if she ate it. They then ran off towards a diamond mine where they knew the children were.

()()()()()

The children arrived at the mine and were about to get to work. They began to push a small track car full of any digging equipment they'd need, and Kurt accidentally shoved Rogue inside.

"Ouch!" Rogue said.

"Sorry." Kurt said meekly.

Suddenly, several animals arrived and began pulling at their capes and hair like there was no tomorrow.

"Get out of here!" Logan said as he swatted some birds away from his cape.

"Hey, let go!" Kurt shouted as several birds were beginning to pull him away.

"What's going on here?!" Hank shouted as a doe was shoving Hank away from the mine.

"They've gone crazy!" Kitty called out.

"No kidding." Bobby said as he blew, and the birds and squirrels that were pulling on his shirt and feet were blown away, but they came right back, though they were shivering.

()()()()()

Jean had given the lady a drink of water, and she smiled kindly like a grandmother… Or at least how Jean imagined grandmothers smiled as she never saw one.

"And because you've been so good to dear old Granny," the lady said kindly. "I'll let you in on a secret. This is no ordinary apple. It's a magic wishing apple."

"A wishing apple?" Jean asked in awe.

"Yes." The lady said. "One bite, and all your dreams come true."

"Really?" Jean asked as she thought of Robin and how she could finally be with him.

"Yes dearie." The lady said. "Now make a wish and take a bite."

()()()()()

"Hey go away!" Ororo shouted as a dear was holding her in his antlers and shoving her forward. "What's wrong with them?!"

"I don't know, but they're not acting like this for nothing." Logan said as he swiped away several birds that nearly pulled his mask off.

"Uh-oh." Rogue said as she finally managed to get herself out of the car. "What is that mean queen, Emma Frost's got Jean?"

"Emma Frost?!" They all called out in alarm. "Jean!"

"Emma Frost will kill her!" Logan called out in alarm. "We've gotta save her!"

"Yeah, we've gotta save her!" Hank shouted.

"She'll kill her!" Bobby shouted.

"What do we do?!" Ororo asked.

"We go back to the house and save her!" Logan said, and Bobby, Ororo, Rogue, and Hank flew off as Logan and Kitty rode on the stag and the doe while Kurt turned into a cheetah and ran off.

()()()()()

"There must be something your heart desires." The lady said. "Maybe someone you love?"

"Well, yes." Jean said as she blushed.

"I thought so." The lady said with a laugh. "Old Granny knows a young girl's heart. Now take the apple dearie and make your wish."

"I wish…" Jean began.

"That's it." The lady said. "Go on. Don't be afraid."

()()()()()

Getting to the cottage proved much more difficult than they thought, especially for the people who were flying as their outfits got on low hanging branches, and twice, Kurt nearly fell to his death when he ran into a large gorge, but managed to survive by teleporting to the other side.

()()()()()

"And that he will carry me away to his home, and we'll live happily ever after." Jean said with a smile.

"Excellent wish my dear." Granny said. "Now take a bite."

()()()()()

The children hurried on as fast as they could.

()()()()()

"Don't let the wish grow cold." Emma Frost said as all _her_ dreams were about to come true.

Jean bit into the apple, and she smiled for a minute before staggering and holding her head.

"Oh… I feel strange." Jean said weakly.

"Her breath will still." Emma Frost said with a wicked smile as her fist began to become fuller and orange. "Her blood congeal."

Jean fell to the ground asleep, but to all but the most observant, dead, and at that moment, the disguise wore off, and Emma Frost was her lovely self again.

"NOW I'LL BE FAIREST IN THE LAND!" Emma Frost called out with wicked glee.

* * *

Oh dear…


	9. Let the Punishment Fit the Crime

Chapter Nine: Let the Punishment Fit the Crime

Emma walked out as a storm quickly started. She was still laughing to herself when she saw seven children in odd outfits coming this way.

"And of course, something has to happen to complicate things." Emma said and she flew off to a place where she could have more room to fight and eventually landed at the peak of a mountain.

The children followed after her, and she put her hand by a boulder.

"Let's see how badly I can crush their bones." Emma said with a smirk, and she pushed the boulder.

"Look out!" A boy with a yellow outfit called out. As the boulder came at them, a boy in blue flew up and turned the boulder to ice before he smashed it to pieces.

"Oh, you have got to be kidding me!" Emma said angrily. She then flew up as a bolt of lightning broke the ledge she was standing on and illuminated her face. "You know, my ex-husband didn't believe in spankings, but I'm more of a fan of physical punishments. They really drive the message home."

Emma then fired a telekinetic blast from her hand.

"Hide!" The boy in yellow called out, and all seven children hid behind a wall.

"Come on out, kiddies." Emma said with a smirk. "We're not playing hide-and-seek you know."

()()()()()

Logan gathered everyone around.

"Okay, our only chance to stop her is to surround her." Logan explained. "Bobby, you, Ororo, Hank, and Rogue fly up, and cover her from behind. Kitty, Kurt, and I attack from the front."

"Yeah!" Hank said.

"Rogue, not now." Ororo said calmly, and they split up as the ground unit ran up and dodged Emma's attacks while Kitty and Logan attacked with exploding pellets. Emma defended herself very well when the kids flew up on Bobby's ice bridge, and Bobby tapped her shoulder.

"What?!" Emma asked, and Bobby punched her in the face.

"How could you?!" Emma cried out. "I'm a woman!"

"Oh, I'm sorry." Bobby said. "I…"

"Bobby, look out!" Logan said as he tied up Emma's hands with some vines he cut with his claws, and Ororo wrapped her cloak around her eyes.

"Hey, I can't see!" Emma said.

"That's the point." Logan said. "And I have a nearby friend who can give you your just deserts."

They took the newly bound-up Emma to an imposing house as Logan knocked, and Dr. Strange, the Sorcerer Supreme, came out.

"What?" Dr. Strange asked.

"Dr. Strange, this lady killed Jean." Logan explained. "Bobby saw her body as we chased after her."

"Hmm…" Dr. Strange said. "I've heard a great deal about you, Emma. I've heard how vain and arrogant you are, and I've also heard of your jealousy of your daughter."

"Let me go!" Emma called out as she turned her head in the direction of Dr. Strange.

"Very well." Dr. Strange said. "But only after your punishment for your crime starts."

Dr. Strange picked Emma up as easily as if she was a new born baby. He then chanted, and Emma disappeared.

"What did you do to her?" Logan asked.

"I sent her to limbo for a few weeks for some _just deserts_." Dr. Strange said.

"Eh?" Kurt asked.

"Come on…" Bobby said. "We better… We better pay our respects to Jean."

Everyone looked down and walked off.

()()()()()

Emma found herself in a blue infinite limbo. She looked around when she looked at a mirror.

Her face looked normal, then slowly and surely her hair fell out, her face was full of wrinkles, her nose grew long, and she seemed to have aged as everyone she ever saw recoiled at the sight of her.

"No!" She called out when suddenly, she returned to normal, but everyone still acted like she was as they just saw her, much to Emma's confusion. She looked around, trying to figure out what had happened.

Dr. Strange had put her in a universe where everyone would treat her as she was on the inside until she learned to be compassionate to people, and she would be in there for a long, long while.

* * *

Yeah… I like Emma too much to kill her off. I just see so much good she could do.


End file.
